Naruto's Respect
by rain-drop-princess
Summary: After the Bikochu mission fails, the crews meet up for some quality time. Hinata gets some advice on how to hold on to her feelings for Naruto. Will she get up the courage to do anything, or will she just continue to think about what could be?


Naruto's Respect

This is my first story on fan-fiction, and I love to write so I hope you Naruto fans like it. I'm a newcomer to watching the show also, but I've seen the last 4 episodes and I fell in love with the Naruto/Hinata pairing. I checked out some Youtube videos and the website for more information. Enjoy!

**Naruto's Respect**

After the failed mission to find the beetle that would've been used to track Sasuke, a few members of the ninja troop met in a little café back home.

The six were sitting at a table at the back of the building. Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru got had just gotten their food when the topic of the mission started up.

"I can't believe that you guys already HAD the beetle-this beetle that is SO hard to find- and then Naruto farted. Naruto…I'm at a loss for words", Sakura ranted, balling out Naruto.

"That's a new one", Kiba laughed, and Akamaru barked his agreement.

While Naruto hid his blushing behind his placemat, Sakura fumed at Kiba's truthful comment.

"Well, at least I didn't fail my first mission", Sakura said, cruelly, cutting her eyes towards Hinata. The smirk on her face showed her contempt for the blue-eyed girl.

Hinata blinked. _I didn't really fail the mission. The mission in itself failed, but I did all I could. And I don't blame Naruto either… Naruto…_

"Hey, Hinata did a great job for her first mission. She practiced and perfected her Jutsu, and that takes extreme focus. She took her life back from those who tried to take it from her," Shino retorted quietly and coldly.

"Yeah, Hinata, you were all like-Hwaaaaaa! Yaaaaa!" Naruto exclaimed, chopping his arms in an attempt to

demonstrate Hinata's 64-palm jutsu.

Hinata blushed happily, remembering the moment she had fainted into Naruto's arms. _Naruto._

"I don't know I just wish we could've trained that Bikochu. How are we going to find Sasuke now?" Hinata shrugged, wishing she were the one sitting by Naruto, instead of Sakura.

It was obvious that Naruto had a slight thing for Sakura. Sakura yelled at him enough to let on that she had feelings for him, too. The two were such opposites- they both had egos, but Naruto was a fun-loving ninja, and Sakura was often too much of a perfectionist for her own good. She often let on that she was smarter than most people, and her rivalry with Ino was known throughout town. What did she have that Hinata didn't? Guys rarely noticed Hinata in a romantic fashion. She had never had a real boyfriend-she had never been kissed. When she talked to her close friends about it, it often came up that she was passive, or just too shy. People tended to take this as being stuck up- but Hinata didn't have a snobby bone in her body.

"Well, it's back to the drawing board there, but we'll have to find him somehow," Shino answered, cleaning off his glasses. He looked so much less mysterious without them- friendlier. But in a flash, they were back on his face, hiding his intelligent eyes. He rarely took them off- even in the company of his friends.

Naruto frowned. "I hope Sasuke is alright."

No one answered. They all hoped the same thing.

That night, everyone had a get-together to talk about the next missions that they'd be going on. Tsunade led the meeting, talking about the failure of the last one, and the benefits that had still resulted from it.

"Hinata, although your mission failed, I have heard good things about how you have improved your abilities. However, it will be a while before I send you on another mission," Tsunade addressed Hinata.

"Of course", Hinata said, casting her eyes downward. She still felt a glimmer of pride. Tsunade rarely gave compliments.

"Okay, so I need to compile a list of things we need to do. We will all meet back in this room in one hour, so I can assign a new journey," Tsunade dismissed them.

Hinata, being one who often liked to be alone, went outside to the balcony to look at the stars. As she went, she heard Naruto and Sakura fight-flirting behind her. _I guess he really doesn't notice me._

After a few minutes on the balcony, Shino came out and joined her. When he sat a foot away from her, she looked at him once, and then back up to the sky. There was silence for several minutes, and Hinata got nervous, because Shino wasn't one to beat around the bush.

"Urm…The sky is clear enough to see Venus tonight", she said slightly, trying to fill the immense silence.

"You and I both know that I'm not much for star-gazing. I came to talk to you about Naruto", Shino said, slowly.

"Wh-What about…Naruto?" Hinata asked, knowing all too well that Shino knew how she felt. And Kiba, too.

"He would've killed for you that night. He was threatening to strangle one of the men who tied you up. He thought you had died," Shino began.

"But, that's just because he's a good friend. He's loyal. He'd do the same for anyone", Hinata answered, hoping there was at least some untruth to her words. Mainly the "friend" part.

"Maybe. The thing is, Hinata, you expect him to know how you feel without even telling him. I told him that one reason you worked so hard to perfect your jutsu was to gain his respect", Shino stated.

"I perfected my jutsu so I wouldn't be a burden," she answered, but he was right.

"That's another reason. Naruto doesn't pay attention to the small details. He doesn't see you blush. He doesn't know how you think of him for strength. He doesn't know…" Shino told Hinata, watching as she realized how well he read her.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked quietly.

"To some people. But I'm not sure Naruto always can figure you out. You and I are somewhat alike- we tend to have depths that people can't see. We keep to ourselves. He hangs around Sakura because she's quite out in the open- ego, flirting, anger… He doesn't know what's going on in your head, which is why he finds you complicated," Shino enlightened her.

"He…he told you all this?"

"No. But, unlike you, he's not that hard to figure out."

"He is to me."

"Well, that's because you're a girl and he's a guy."

"So, why are you telling me this?" Hinata asked skeptically.

"Because I've seen the strength he's given you. To have someone that gives you that- it has to be some kind of feeling. And I don't want you to give up", Shino replied.

"You really care that much?" Hinata said almost sarcastically.

"Well…there is one other thing", Shino said reluctantly. "If I tell you this, you had better keep your mouth shut."

"Who would I tell?"

"Good point. This is one of the biggest conversations we've ever had."

"Well?"

"Okay…well, the truth is, Sakura has never had a real boyfriend either and… I kind of want to be her… first…boyfriend. And her first…"

"Whaaat?" Hinata asked suggestively.

"Kiss! I meant KISS!" Shino said defensively.

"I know. And don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I never would've known if you hadn't told me. You act like you don't like her or something…"

"I'm waiting for the right time. You have to find yours, too. Don't get me wrong, I'll put Sakura in her place if she's not there, but I really admire her brains. She can be pretty mean sometimes, but there's more to her than that. I can see it in her eyes."

"Um…okay," Hinata said, feeling awkward.

"Sorry", Shino said quickly.

Suddenly, from inside, there came a shout. "SHINO! HINATA! GET YOUR BUTTS IN HERE!" Tsunade screamed in wrath.

The two hurriedly scrambled up from their sitting positions and ran inside. When they got to the room, they got a few weird glances, but then the meeting started, and it was all forgotten when Naruto accidentally sat on the Bikochu that had become so accustomed to his lower region.

"Naruto?"

The meeting was over, and Hinata found Naruto in the back yard, burying the Bikochu.

"Hinata", he replied, obviously unhappy that he'd sat on the bug.

"Are you okay?" Hinata asked timidly.

"Yeah, I'm okay; I just am kind of disappointed that I messed up the mission. And that I sat on Kochi."

"Kochi?"

"I named him. It was kind of hard not to when he wouldn't stay off of me for the past few days."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault…"

"But I'm still sorry. I know how close you are to Sasuke…and how much that bug meant to you."

"Really?" Naruto asked patting some dirt over Kochi's grave.

"Of course. Um…Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Shino told me how mad you got when you thought I'd died, and… and…thanks."

"For what?"

"Caring."

"Well, what do you think I'd do? I thought you were gone, and you've never done anything to those jerks. I was ready to go evil ninja on their butts. Of course I care…you're a member of my crew. I'd kill for any of you guys. You know that don't you? I mean, I may not always do the smartest things, but I'm training and…"

But Hinata cut him off. In one motion, she knelt on the ground, and kissed him, mid-sentence. There was dirt smeared on his cheeks, and she wiped it off with a thumb. After she kissed him, she wanted to run, but it was like she was paralyzed- bonded to the ground by some weird force that neither of them controlled.

"Um…Hinata?" Naruto asked, dumbstruck. "You really did want my respect didn't you?"

She looked up at him, unsure of what she'd just done. "Yes, Naruto," she looked back down, and then up at him again. "I did."

The end?


End file.
